Mackay 2010-2019 Recipients

2016 (press release)
THE CREW OF SPOOKY 43 FLIGHT
On November 2, 2016, the crew of SPOOKY 43 was tasked to provide close air support and armed reconnaissance for a 55-man combined American and Afghan special operations team conducting a raid to interdict insurgent command and control nodes, senior leadership, and their networks. After the crew of SPOOKY 43 arrived overhead, the combined American and Afghan special operations force (also referred to as “friendlies”) was caught in a deadly ambush by a large insurgent force. The friendlies were engaged by small arms, heavy machine gun, and grenade fire from multiple defensive fighting positions. The crew of SPOOKY 43 provided close air support to the friendly ground force with the 25, 40, and 105-millimeter guns, to allow the them the freedom to maneuver and provide care for casualties. In order to protect the ground team from enemy personnel, the crew of SPOOKY 43 expertly employed the 105-millimeter gun at an unprecedented 12 meters from the friendly personnel. Due to the outstanding airmanship and bravery under extremely challenging circumstances, SPOOKY 43 destroyed 10 defensive fighting positions, 27 enemy insurgents, and three enemy technical vehicles, saving the lives of 50 combined American and Afghan special operations forces personnel who would have otherwise perished in the enemy ambush. The professional ability and outstanding aerial accomplishments of the crew of SPOOKY 43 reflect credit upon themselves and the United States Air Force.

2015 (press release)
THE CREWS OF WEASEL 41 AND WEASEL 51 FLIGHT
On July 26, 2015, United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Cohen, Major Seth Taylor, Captain Danielle Kangas, and Captain Mathew Park, arrived on scene over Hassekah, a major city in northeast Syria, where friendly Syrian Kurdish ground units were battling the last significant holdout of a group of Islamic State enemy personnel. A firefight in the southeast portion of the city had erupted, pinning Kurdish ground units in a dense urban city block. Overcoming targeting complicated by weather and limited communications, Lieutenant Colonel Cohen and Major Taylor expertly coordinated and employed several successful munitions in support of Kurdish forces despite highly restrictive attack parameters. Captain Kangas and Captain Park tracked and executed an effective attack on fleeing enemy soldiers wearing blankets to reduce their infrared signature. In a four-hour period, the crews of WEASEL 41 and WEASEL 51 flight employed 15 precision guided munitions, destroying eight enemy fighting positions, with no friendly or civilian casualties. This marked the end of a three-month operation in Northern Syria that resulted in friendly Kurdish forces retaking over 17 thousand square kilometers of territory, securing the Syria/Turkey boarder between Iraq and the Euphrates River.

2014 (press release)
THE CREW OF IRONHAND 41 FLIGHT
Captain Gregory R. Balzhiser and Captain David A. Kroontje, the aircrew of the Pacific Air Forces` Ironhand 41 flight, orchestrated four flawless attacks during an eight hour night, flying F-16Cs over 500 miles in enemy-controlled terrain. Their attacks destroyed three Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) blockades, multiple armored vehicles, one observation post, and killed ISIL fighters who were firing upon 40,000 trapped Yazidi civilians who had fled to Mount Sinjar. Their outstanding battle management caused the cessation of ISIL indirect fires on civilians, ended ISIL freedom of movement around Mount Sinjar, facilitated the evacuation corridor by reducing pressure on Peshmerga ground forces, and ultimately saved the lives of 40,000 civilians including women, children, elderly, and the infirm.

2013 (press release)
THE CREWS OF ROOSTER 73 FLIGHT
The crews of Rooster 73 flight (Rooster 73, Rooster 74, and Rooster 75) distinguished themselves as CV-22 Pilots and Flight Engineers, 8th Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron, on 21 December 2013 while conducting the most meritorious flight of the year in support of Noncombatant Evacuation Operations in the vicinity of Bor, South Sudan. The formation of three CV-22 Ospreys was tasked with the daylight evacuation of American Citizens due to escalating threats. On approach to land, the formation took heavy surface to air fire, receiving damage to multiple aircraft systems and injuring four Special Operations Forces personnel onboard. The extensive damage caused multiple fuel leaks requiring the aircraft to call for emergency airborne refueling allowing for the safe recovery of all three battle damaged aircraft, crew and passengers. The distinctive accomplishments of Rooster 73 flight reflect great credit upon themselves and the United States Air Force.

2012 (press release) (photo album)
THE CREWS OF PEDRO 83 FLIGHT
The members of Pedro 83 Flight distinguished themselves as United States Air Force Combat Search and Rescue aircrew during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM from 1 November 2011 to 8 February 2012. In January 2012, Pedro 83 Flight, a formation of HH-60G Pavehawks, launched in response to an urgent MEDEVAC near Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan. The flight navigated through visibility as low as two miles to reach the patient. There, Pedro 84 executed a hoist over hostile terrain to infiltrate Pararescumen and provide life-saving care to the wounded soldier. The actions of Pedro 83 Flight saved the patient’s life and directly supported on-going assault operations resulting in eight enemy killed in action and 35 captured. The distinctive accomplishments of the crews of Pedro 83 Flight reflect great credit upon themselves and the United States Air Force.

2011 (press release) (photo album)
THE CREWS OF PEDRO 83 FLIGHT
The crews of Pedro 83 flight who distinguished themselves in combat search and rescue operations on April 23, 2011 while assigned to the 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. On this date, Pedro 83 Flight executed the daring rescue of two United States Army pilots downed in enemy-controlled territory east of Bagram during infiltration, Pedro 84 was struck by enemy fire, severely injuring the flight engineer. As Pedro 84 returned to base for medical treatment Pedro 83 provided emergency close air support for pararescuemen on the ground, ultimately braving a hail of small arms fire to rescue a downed pilot. While low on fuel, damaged by enemy fire and battling multiple aircraft emergencies, Pedro 83 remained on scene until Pedro 84 returned with a reconstituted crew. Pedro 84 made two attempts to recover the second pilot and their isolated pararescueman team, who were surrounded by insurgents, but was repelled by heavy enemy fire. Although Pedro 84 had been hit more than ten times and two crewmembers received damage to their protective equipment, they remained overhead until Pedro 83 returned. Pedro 83 flight made three approaches into the besieged landing zone, but was forced to go around after exchanging fire with a fortified enemy within 100 meters. On the fourth attempt, Pedro 83 was able to land and evacuate an Army soldier critically wounded during ground recovery attempts while Pedro 84 hoisted the second pilot and pararescueman team successfully ending six hours of intense coalition rescue operations. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of the crews of Pedro 83 Flight reflect great credit upon themselves and the United States Air Force.

2010 (press release) (photo album)
DUDE FLIGHT (DUDE 01 and DUDE 02)
Lieutenant Colonel Donald D. Cornwell, Lieutenant Colonel Dylan T. Wells, Captain Leigh P. Larkin, and First Lieutenant Nicholas R. Tsougas distinguished themselves by meritorious airmanship on 6 April 2010. While operating as a flight of two F-15Es, callsigns Dude 01 and Dude 02, they were tasked to support a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force team surrounded by over 100 enemy fighters in the town of Bala Morgab, Afghanistan. With weather below rescue force launch minimums, Dude flight used Terrain Following Radar to execute five “Show of Force” passes in a valley surrounded by high terrain. When hostilities escalated, Dude Flight expertly employed six Joint Direct Attack Munitions, helping kill over 80 Taliban fighters who occupied reinforced positions within the town. Their efforts helped save the lives of approximately 30 coalition troops. There were no civilian causalities. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Dude Flight reflect great credit upon themselves and the United States Air Force.